On the first edition of Records on Rewind, I’m highlighting Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. An album I’ve heard nothing but praise for for years. I’ve wanted to get the record ever since I got a record player. But I’ve never found it on resale. Can’t say I’m surprised, it’s not one I would part with.
The only reference I have to this album is the singles, like the hit Doo Wop (That Thing). I, of course, know her hits with her band The Fugees. So, for the most part, I went into listening to this album blind, not knowing what to expect aside from it being a hip-hop record from a legend. Going to give some stats on the album, my first impressions, song-by-song, ending with a recap and final thoughts.
The Stats
- Release Date: August 19, 1998
- 16 Tracks, 3 features
- Run Time: 1 hour, 17 minutes
First Impressions
Intro – A quick roll call in a classroom setting. It feels obvious now, but I didn’t realize the album cover was an etching on a school desk. On brand for an ‘educational’ album.
Lost Ones – This is a track I’ve heard before, but I didn’t have the context that it is essentially a diss track to her ex-boyfriend and bandmate, Wyclef Jean. The lyrics are cutting, yet the beat, flow, and rhymes are so good, you can’t help bopping along like it’s an upbeat track. I’m sure there was channeling the hurt and disappointment of that lost relationship, but she comes out more powerful and confident.
Ex-Factor – Her voice is something special. It’s raw, strong, and elegant. This song, one of many, if not all, truly sounds like listening to a journal entry. Realized in real time that this song had been sampled, the one that I recalled was Drake‘s Nice For What. There have been many others over the years.
To Zion (ft. Carlos Santana) – That guitar from Santana, so distinct, iconic. A beautiful love letter to a child, which I learned was her firstborn. Having the choir beautifully adds to the record. On top of the spirituality of it, it feels like a community coming to celebrate the child. The rawness of her voice and emotions really shine on this record, and it feels rather jubilant.
Doo Wop (That Thing) – the rightful classic. I totally understand how this was one of the shining singles off the album. The beat and flow are stellar. It gives off big sister advice.
Superstar – A track I haven’t heard before, but could have easily been another hit single. For most of these songs, the beats and her flow work so well together. On this track, her rap verse was incredible.
Final Hour – I was completely unaware of how religious and spiritual Hill is. There are so many religious references throughout the whole album. For a track from 1998, the reference to Israel/Palestine was another reminder of how long this conflict has really been going on. Hill, being a religious person, I can see her ties with Israel, which she claims in the verse “People feel, Lauryn Hill from New-Ark to Israel
And this is real, so I keep makin’ the street’s ballads“.
To me, it feels she also understands and calls out the conflict in Palestine with this line later on, “But when it comes down to ground beef like Palestine“. A spiritual, yet conscious mind. And maybe I’m completely off, just my takeaway.
When it Hurts So Bad – More of a ballad feel. Right on track with the education theme, some feel like personal journals. This one feels like a manual. This lyric really hit me:
What you need ironically
Will turn out what you want to be
If you just let it
I Used to Love Him (ft. Mary J. Blige) – Appreciate the 2 strong female vocalists together. Their voices really complement each other. This song samples Wu-Tang member Raekwon‘s Ice Cream, which I’m not familiar with. Wu-Tang is on the list of artists’ albums I want to listen to.
Forgive Them Father – Another track where the religious influence really shone through. And about the realities of inequality, greed, and power. This track felt like a warning, while still offering grace to those who trespass against us.
Every Ghetto, Every City – This song honors her roots, her upbringing. Nostalgic.
Nothing Even Matters (ft. D’Angelo) – From a little research, I found this quote, “I wanted to make a love song, á la Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, and give people a humanistic approach to love again without all the physicality and overt sexuality.” Which is funny, because with that physical overt, sexuality removed, this love song is so intimate in a simple, real way. And my honest first reaction to the song, before reading the quote, was how effortlessly sexy this song is. This is the kind of sexy I hope to find in love, true intimacy, that makes nothing even matter. And man, do their voices together make it even more so. This easily became one of my favorite love songs. And a D’Angelo Records on Rewind is definitely coming.
Everything is Everything – This is one of the singles off the album I wasn’t familiar with. True first impressions. Catchy track. It may have gone over my head. I’m sure this song is dripping with deeper context that I just didn’t comprehend.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Poetry. A short track, full of wisdom. This entire track really spoke to me, especially these lines:
And every time I’ve tried to be
What someone else thought of me
So caught up I wasn’t able to achieve
The answer, it was in me
And I made up my mind
To define my own destiny
Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You – This song has been on my singles rotation for a few years now. An absolutely fantastic cover of a beautiful love song. I haven’t heard the original, but her rendition is top-tier.
Tell Him – Another beautiful love song. Which is speculated to be for God. Honest and open. Like a prayer to close out the night.
Make me unselfish without being blind
The Rewind Recap
As mentioned, I wasn’t anticipating the religious references throughout the album. I appreciated that none of it felt preachy. Rather, it was her innate connection and, in some ways, her devotion coming through. And what I love is that even though she does not shy away from her beliefs, she doesn’t fit the stereotype of being a submissive woman. She’s powerful and confident, while being vulnerable and feminine.
At the very end of the album, I was kind of hoping for a class wrap-up with the intro and interludes throughout the album being of a class in session discussing love. But after I sat with it for a while, Tell Him felt like the perfect love letter to end on. There was just enough class participation throughout the album, tying things together without distracting. Those kids were such… kids, innocent and yet wiser than we give kids credit for. And the kids in school, plus many of the songs having lessons learned, warnings, and wisdom, it truly felt like someone who had built up enough knowledge to share with the class.
My top 3 tracks off this album were the title track, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Tell Him, and Nothing Even Matters. With honorable mentions: Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You and Lost Ones – the tried and true smash hit singles.
I get it. Over 25 years later, this album still feels ground-breaking. This album feels like a staple for those who love hip-hop. And really, for anyone who appreciates authentic, well-written music. I was taken with the raw realness of her voice in both her singing and rapping. Nothing felt forced, flowing what feels effortless, yet conscious. The wisdom and authenticity Hill brings to this album do and will stand the test of time.
What do you think of this new series? Any album suggestions?!
Leave a Reply